Warp-tension-regulating device for looms



(Nro Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

B. P.l FORD. WARE TENSION EEGULATING DEVISE EOE LOOMS, 6m.

No. 425,873. Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

BQF. FORD.

WARP TENSION REGULATING DEVISE POR. LOOMS, 65G- No. 425,873. PatentedApr. 15, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. FORD, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

WARP-TENSION-REGULATING DEVICE FOR LOOIVIS, 8.1.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,873, dated April15, 1890. Application filed October 26, 1889. Serial No. 328,314. (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. FORD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine,have invented certain new and useiul Improvements inVarp-Tension-Regulating Devices for Looms, dac.; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to improvements in the tension mechanism of looms,the object being to keep the warp at a proper and steady tension, sothat it will not be drawn unevenly from the roller upon which it iswrapped nor slacken at any point between the said roller and theharness.v

It is well known that the lay of a loom, when driving home a Woof-threadleft by the shuttle in the shed of the warp, tends to produce slacknessin the warp. This slackness it is the intention of my invention to takeup, and produce instead uniform tension at all times in the warp.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination ofparts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings,and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference-lettersdesignate corresponding parts, Figure l represents in vertical sectionparallel to the side a tension mechanism such as described. Fig. 2represents a side View of a modification in which the actuating- Weightis outside of the warp. Fig. 3 represents an edge view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4represents a section, parallel with the side, of a modified form, inwhich the Weights are deflected by fixed plates. Fig 5 represents a sideview of another modication, in which the Warp may be tightened withoutchanging the position of the weights. Fig. 6 is a view of a modificationhaving a hinged deflectingplate. Fig. 7 represents one form of theinvention in side view and shows the pawl which rides on the warp andthe pawl which prevents the weighted wheel from falling too far. f

Referring to the drawings byl etter, as shown in Fig. l, A designates awheel mounted on the shaft a and having the warp B passed around orwound upon it. The sides of the wheel A are closed in, as shown in Fig.2, and standing inward from its periphery are the similar non-radialpartitions O, as shown in Fig.`1, which incline inward from saidperiphery and in the direction in which the warp moves when the loom isin operation. The said partitions are preferably equidistant and formwith the sides of the wheel A the compartments or buckets c c. Theperiphery of the wheel A is closed and preferably has flanges on itsedges to prevent the warp from slipping from it.

D is a detlector or a cylindrical drum mounted on the shaft a within thewheel A,

with its surface d sufliciently close to the inner edges of thepartitions C, and F. is a proper rweighting material-such as sand orshotintroduced into the wheelA and buckets c through a suitable openinga', as shown in Fig. 2, in the side of the said Wl1eel,which can beproperly closed by a cover a2. It is obvious that as the wheel is turnedby the advance of the Warp the buckets c will rise on the side oppositethat upon which the lay is situated and will carry up the weightingmaterial with them. Nhen the said material has risen to a certainheight, the inclination of the partitions permits it to fall out of thecorresponding buckets c upon the drum D, which directs it or from whichit rebounds into the buckets below and is again carried up. Thus thecorresponding side of the wheel A is constantly weighted, andconsequently will pull back upon the warp and keep the latter underconstant tension, the amount of which can be regulated by increasing ordiminishing the amount of weighting material. Thus the tension can beincreased or diminished as found necessary.

F designates a drum mounted on a shaft f, and around which the warp ispassed from the Wheel Ato prevent jar, because this drum, being placedbetween the loom and the wheel A, will prevent any irregular pulling onthe warp.

In the above tension mechanism the warp is outside the weight in thewheel A. To place the weight outside of the warp and thus ICO increasethe leverage, and consequently the power, the warp is removed from therim or periphery of the wheel A and placed on that of a wheel or drum G,mounted on the shaft a adjoining the wheel A, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3,the diameter of the wheel G being less than that of the wheel A.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 the drum D is replaced by a segmentD', having on the outer surface thereof the plates H, arranged in thearc of a circle concentric with the wheel A, said segment beingsupported upon the -shaft a, the said shaft not rotating. Some of theseplates may be hinged at' their inner edges, as shown in Fig. 6, so thatthe inner edges of the partitions C will strike them and turln theirouter edges upward, forming with said partitions pockets'to lift some ofthe weighting material and prevent the fall thereof too soon. When thepartitions pass, they will release the plates, and the latter will fall,causing the weighting material supported by them to discharge into thebuckets below. In Fig. 6 the hinged plate is held in the desiredposition by stop and spring 71.771,', respectively. The stop k7, Fig. G,prevents the hinged plate I-I from being turned up too far, and th'espring h Will return the said plate to its normal position after beingdepressed by the material. In practice one hinged plate His s'uieient,though two of such plates may be used, if desired.

Fig. 5 shows a modification in which a wheel I, of larger diameter thanthe Weight-ed wheel A, carries'the warp. The wheel I has on its side apivoted pawl J, which engages the teeth K around the rim of the wheel A.By this lneans the wheel I can be directly turned and the slack of thewarp taken up without disturbing or changing the positions of theweights. i

In Fig. 7 is shown a circular ratchet 7c on one side of the wheel, overwhich the warp passes, and a similar ratchet L, but facing in theopposite direction, on the opposite side of the weighted wheel. Theratchet 7c is engaged by a pawl k', which is pivoted upon the frame `ot'the machine and the point of which rides on the warp, so that when theWarp slackens the pawl drops into engagement with the ratchet 7.2, andthereby the wheel A` is prevented from turning, so that the warp cannotfeed too fast from the said wheel. The ratchet 2. In a loom, thecombination, with the large wheel having buckets arranged around itsperiphery on the inside, which buckets have their inner ends only openand incline upward on the side farthest from the lay, of the drummounted inside the wheel concentrically with in the buckets, and theweighting material, substantially as specified.

3. In a loom, the combination, with the wheel A, having the inclinedbuckets c,.the drum Within said wheel, and the weighting material in thebuckets, of the drum receiving the warp' from the wheel A between thelatter and the loom, substantially as specified.

4. In combination with the-wheel having the series of interiorperipheral buckets adapted to hold the Weighting material and providedwith ratchet 7c on one side and ratchet L on the other, but facing inthe opposite direction, and the pawls k and l, where bythe motion of theWheel is controlled.

5. The combination of a Wheel provided interiorly at or near `itsperiphery with a series of buckets opening inwardly, as described, andadapted for the reception of weighting material, with a deiiectorarranged within the circle described by the buckets, as and t'or thepurposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.-

BENJAMIN F. FORD. Witnesses:

JOHN H. RUSSELL, BENJ. THOMPSON.

